ANN ARBOR -- The coaching staff for the Eastern Michigan University football team knows a new field, and stadium nickname won't change the culture around its football program.

But talent will.

Coach Creighton and his staff continued to bolster its 2015 recruiting class by adding three more verbal commits over the weekend.

Two of the three athletes play on the defensive side of the ball while all of the recruits are from out of state high schools.

Colleyville Heritage's Maxx Crosby announced he was verbally committing to EMU on Saturday. Crosby is Creighton's second recruit out of Texas.

Despite missing his team's first four games with an injury, Crosby had 40-plus tackles and a strip sack along with Second Team All-District honors.

The 6-foot-4, 240-pounder played middle linebacker as a junior, but is going to start at defensive end this season. Eastern Michigan had Crosby on the line during his camp visit, and is looking at him as either a defensive end or outside linebacker in its new 3-4 defense.

"I was a lot smaller last year, and slower," Crosby said. "We also have a new coaching staff at my high school, and when they came in we talked about my spot since they noticed I got a lot bigger, and was moving a lot better."

Maxx Crosby marks the second EMU recruit out of Texas this summer for coach Chris Creighton. Courtesy

Southern Methodist University, where Crosby's brother Miles is a redshirt freshman, and North Texas also recruited Maxx, but he said his decision wasn't all that difficult.

"I still could get offers from them, but I had a gut feeling about EMU," Crosby said. "They went out of their way to recruit me, and even visited one of my spring practices. I feel like there is already a connection there."

Brody Hoying, a safety out of Coldwayer High School, also announced he is verbally committing.

Hoying, the first-cousin of former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Bobby Hoying, has an impressive resume that includes back-to-back state titles, and All Midwest Athletic Conference First Team honors on both sides of the ball.

"One of the main reasons EMU was looking at me was the success I've been a part of," Hoying said. "The program hasn't done a lot of winning, and they want to bring in winners."

The 5-foot-11, 185-pounder started as a freshman on defense then added the team's quarterback responsibilities last season. As a sophomore, Hoying closed out the Division V state title game with a diving interception in a 10-9 win over Kirtland.

He finished the season with 89 tackles, four interceptions (one for a touchdown) and two forced fumbles.

EMU coaches visited Coldwater to talk to Hoying in March then offered him a couple weeks later. He verbally committed Friday convinced that the Eagles new coaching staff had what it takes to turn the program around.

"The coaches are what stood out," Hoying said. "It's hard to explain, but when you talk to coach Creighton it feels like he can change your life. He just has that passion for the game. Listening to him talking about football gives you goose bumps."

With a spot in the middle of the defense, Hoying hopes to be a future leader for the Eagles. He said he's developed a reputation as a player that his "teammates can trust 100 percent."

"At safety you can see the whole defense, so you have to be vocal," Hoying said. "Communication is important because if two players in the secondary see different things, it can lead to a mistake and a quick touchdown for the other team. I view the safety position as the eye in the sky for the defense, and I've embraced that."

Minster High School tight end Eli Wolf was the lone offensive player to verbally commit over the weekend.

The 6-foot-4, 205-pounder out of Ohio had received interest from other Mid-American Conference schools, and had an offer from Jacksonville State, but decided to commit Sunday night.

Minster High School's Eli Wolf hopes he can be a future playmaker for the Eastern Michigan University football team.Courtesy

Eastern Michigan offered Wolf, who is coming off a season where he caught 49 passes for 908 yards with 12 touchdowns, in March.

Wolf is happy with how the Eagles coaches envision him fitting into their offense.